The Random Thought Thread

[JO_75]

The Media wants so badly for a Baker Mayfield trade to happen. It seems every day we hear about the Seahawks or Panthers being interested, maybe they aren't interested, a mystery team, etc. Look... #SIIE simply doesn't work like that. You can not just talk about Baker being traded enough to make it happen. You are too weak to control such powers..... @Dom McRaven Am I right?

 

[redrum52]

This is the leagues fault for hiding info. Have them sign waivers and give a full disclosure on the info they find. Instead they try to keep players in the dark.

 

[rmcjacket23]

Sad stuff. Makes you wonder how much longer the game will last

Doctors diagnose late Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas with Stage 2 CTE

Thomas also suffered from seizures before his death at 33

www.cbssports.com

Doesn't really make me wonder. It's voluntary.
Getting CTE from football is on par with getting cancer from smoking. You know its a possibility, and it doesn't stop anybody from voluntarily doing it.
The only thing that's changing is, as much more info is available on CTE now, players know more. They now know the risks and they know what can happen to them. And they can make life choices based on that.

Only way we see a massive decline in football is if it starts at the pee-wee/high school level. We're already seeing a shift towards flag football up until almost high school at this stage in some areas, so that's one avenue.
In reality, that's most likely just going to reduce the quality of the college/NFL product, more than work to kill it. The desire from consumers for football is too high, and the money being paid to football players is too high.

Players retiring earlier is very much a possibility though. We've started to see some of that, at least.

 

[rmcjacket23]

This is the leagues fault for hiding info. Have them sign waivers and give a full disclosure on the info they find. Instead they try to keep players in the dark.

10-15 years ago, I'd have agreed with you.
There's no info to hide anymore. The NFL isn't in the "diagnosing CTE" business, nor do they care. Everybody knows the risks now.

 

[cobrajet]

I can see why Sunday's aren't busy, but I would've still thought they'd be busier than like a Monday or Tuesday. But i'm not in the business so I don't know.

On more than one occasion I have forgotten that Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sunday.

 

[BoredMarine13]

Doesn't really make me wonder. It's voluntary.
Getting CTE from football is on par with getting cancer from smoking. You know its a possibility, and it doesn't stop anybody from voluntarily doing it.
The only thing that's changing is, as much more info is available on CTE now, players know more. They now know the risks and they know what can happen to them. And they can make life choices based on that.

Only way we see a massive decline in football is if it starts at the pee-wee/high school level. We're already seeing a shift towards flag football up until almost high school at this stage in some areas, so that's one avenue.
In reality, that's most likely just going to reduce the quality of the college/NFL product, more than work to kill it. The desire from consumers for football is too high, and the money being paid to football players is too high.

Players retiring earlier is very much a possibility though. We've started to see some of that, at least.

I don't think players, especially younger players, truly understand the risk. Sure its voluntary, but I wonder in the next 30-50 years if sports like NFL and NHL are gone as modern medicine continues to advance. If we had a test capable of showing signs of CTE in living patients it would be a complete game changer. Some guys may ride the lighting, but It would make me at least think about giving up the sport rather than suffer from anxiety, memory loss, and erratic behavior..... but I am also just a rando guy not getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to play a game.

 

[BoredMarine13]

On more than one occasion I have forgotten that Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sunday.

So painful with it dawns on you that you played yourself and chics is closed

 

[Biff Tannen]

On more than one occasion I have forgotten that Chick-Fil-A is closed on Sunday.

Go to Zaxby's

 

[rmcjacket23]

I don't think players, especially younger players, truly understand the risk. Sure its voluntary, but I wonder in the next 30-50 years if sports like NFL and NHL are gone as modern medicine continues to advance. If we had a test capable of showing signs of CTE in living patients it would be a complete game changer. Some guys may ride the lighting, but It would make me at least think about giving up the sport rather than suffer from anxiety, memory loss, and erratic behavior..... but I am also just a rando guy not getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to play a game.

But again, that's sort of a voluntary choice to not understand. To me, it's like saying "I didn't know I couldn't afford a $500K house on a $40K salary" or that "I didn't know if I went to college for a sociology degree, nobody would pay me anything when I left". The information exists. It's not somebody else's job to necessarily force feed it to you. High School and College kids are more than mature enough to make those decisions, and so are the parents of those kids. 10-15 years ago, sure, I'd be there saying "they didn't know". But now there's no justifiable reason not to know, other than either you don't want to know, or you didn't take the time to learn.

Even if modern medicine advances to the point where they can detect CTE or other brain issues in living people, pro athletes and even college athletes will likely continue to play until they've actually been diagnosed. Basically wait until its too late, and then decide to quit. Same as smokers.

What I think you MIGHT see is people give up on that "dream" a little sooner. Like maybe an average Joe high school player doesn't go to a D3 school to play football, because he realizes he has little to no shot of ever playing professionally, and he determines the risk doesn't equal the reward. I could see that happening. But that's also predicated on young people having the self-awareness to know their limitations and be realistic about long term. Also sort of defeats the purpose of telling young people they can "be anything they want to be" and that hard work will be rewarded.

 

[rmcjacket23]

I don't think players, especially younger players, truly understand the risk. Sure its voluntary, but I wonder in the next 30-50 years if sports like NFL and NHL are gone as modern medicine continues to advance. If we had a test capable of showing signs of CTE in living patients it would be a complete game changer. Some guys may ride the lighting, but It would make me at least think about giving up the sport rather than suffer from anxiety, memory loss, and erratic behavior..... but I am also just a rando guy not getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to play a game.

Would also point out that some of the studies I've seen, and I'd have to go try to find them again, basically think that CTE or similar issues are, in a lot of cases, derived from concussions or head impact at a younger age. Basically, while NFL players get hit in the head a lot, their brains, skulls, etc. are typically fully formed in a lot of cases, and are better built to withstand the impact. Conversely, a 16 year old getting even one mild concussion could really dramatically impact their lives.

And as we've seen, some states, localities, etc. have dramatically changed the way youth football works. Many won't go pads and helmets until at least 12-13 years old, and sometimes not even until high school. Also emphasizing better tackling techniques, etc.

 

[gtalk12]

I still got a way's to go, but I'm still saving up for the Challenger Scat Pack. Why is this Ravens related? I'll be transferring my Ravens license plate from my V6 Challenger to my future car.

lmao

 

[rossihunter2]

Ben

i think he did ok - finished the season poorly but showed some things

i'm concerned about his functional power/athleticism - he's clearly got power and size and athleticism but they don't seem to actually show up when he plays - when he plays with good hand position he does well, he's shown the ability to diagnose pretty well in the passing game to pick up line games and stuff like that

but my biggest concern is the way he seemingly doesn't finish - doesn't have that killer instinct with blocks to play to and through the whistle and falls off blocks which allows defenders out of the plays and means he's leaving holes more closed than he should be - im most concerned about that aspect because that's mental and you either have it or you don't - very rarely do guys find that instinct who haven't innately already got it

 

[Old Bay]

 

[gtalk12]

Damn Browns play the Panthers in pre-season only.

 

[rmcjacket23]

Damn Browns play the Panthers in pre-season only.

No. Week 1 opener. In Carolina.

 

[Old Bay]

No. Week 1 opener. In Carolina.

It's a shame it's not in Cleveland

 

[Biff Tannen]

A lot of my friends are Panthers fans and some are being quite delusional about how he will totally change their team! I had no choice but to laugh in their faces.

 

[JO_75]

A lot of my friends are Panthers fans and some are being quite delusional about how he will totally change their team! I had no choice but to laugh in their faces.

To be fair, Baker is better than Darnold which makes them better at the QB position immediately. If Baker is fully recovered from his injury and can return to 2020 form, he can definitely change Carolina. Dude got Cleveland their first playoff win since 2002, Baker must be doing something right. I'm rooting for him, hope he makes the Browns look like fools.

 

[rmcjacket23]

To be fair, Baker is better than Darnold which makes them better at the QB position immediately. If Baker is fully recovered from his injury and can return to 2020 form, he can definitely change Carolina. Dude got Cleveland their first playoff win since 2002, Baker must be doing something right. I'm rooting for him, hope he makes the Browns look like fools.

Browns roster is a LOT better than Carolina's. I don't think Baker is a material upgrade over Darnold at this stage. Realistically, they both have about the same pedigree at this point.

 

[RavensMania]

Browns roster is a LOT better than Carolina's. I don't think Baker is a material upgrade over Darnold at this stage. Realistically, they both have about the same pedigree at this point.

agree they don't have a better all around roster, but I do believe Baker is a better QB than Darnold...apples to apples.